Why not treat yourself as you would a dear friend?

The more serious you are, the more likely you are to be hard on yourself

The more seriously you live your daily life, the more you may find yourself
being hard on yourself without even realizing it.

“I have to try harder”
“I’m not good enough like this”
“I have no value if I can’t do things properly”

You might suddenly realize that somewhere in your heart,
you have been constantly blaming yourself like that.

What if it were a dear friend?

Here, please try to imagine for a moment.

If a dear friend of yours were feeling down, saying,
“I couldn’t do it well…” or “I failed again…,”
what kind of words would you say to them?

Surely, you would say things like,
“You don’t have to blame yourself so much,”
“I know very well how hard you are trying,”
“Even if you fail, you are still you and you are okay.”

In that way,
wouldn’t you offer them warm and kind words?

You can turn that gaze toward yourself, too

Then, why is it that you cannot be
that kind to yourself?

You must be perfect, or
failure is not allowed;
you impose such strict rules only on yourself.

But, in truth,
before anyone else,
I believe it is okay to turn a kind gaze toward yourself.I believe that.

Just as you love someone else,
gently embrace yourself as well.

That such an option
exists right here,
why not remember that today?

Self-compassion—another way of being that cherishes yourself

In psychology,
turning a kind gaze toward yourself
is called “self-compassion.”

Self-compassion means,
when you fail or feel weak,
instead of blaming yourself,
quietly forgiving yourself by saying, “It is okay to accept that part of me.”

Even if you are not perfect,
even if you make mistakes,
even if you feel down,
telling your true self, “It is okay to be here.”

That is
neither spoiling yourself
nor justifying yourself.

It is simply about giving yourself another option—
the ability to think, "I am human, so sometimes things don't go well,"
and "It is okay to be kind to myself at times like that."
It is about giving yourself that gift.

Small acts of self-compassion you can do today

Please try directing a small act of kindness toward yourself today.

For example, when you fail:
"It didn't go well, but those days happen."
"I see that you tried."
"Let's value the effort you made more than what you couldn't do."

For example, when you feel anxious:
"It's okay, you don't have to rush so much."
"One step at a time is fine. You are moving forward."
"Just being here right now is enough."

For example, when you feel embarrassed:
"Feeling embarrassed is proof that you are truly feeling."
"It's okay to embrace that emotion, too."
"Everyone has moments like that. You'll be okay, too."

Such small kindnesses
will, little by little,
soak deep into your heart.

If you are someone who can be kind to others,
you can surely be kind to yourself as well.

Try gently saying to yourself today
the same words you would say to a dear friend.

May today be a day where you can cherish yourself.